High obesity, diabetes rates makes Texas one of country’s least healthy states

Texas ranked the 36th state in the United States for overall health in 2013, according to United Health Foundation’s 2013 America’s Health Rankings: A Call to Action for Individuals & Their Communities.

The Lone Star State slipped from the 35th spot last year.

The report nicked Texas on its high prevalence of physical inactivity, high percentage of uninsured residents and the large disparity in health status by educational attainment.

However, some of Texas’ strength includes its low rate of drug deaths, few poor mental health days per month and low rate of cancer deaths.

The report also found that 18.2 percent of people in Texas smoke, compared to 19.6 percent nationally. One in nine people in Texas have diabetes, compared to one in 10 nationally. About one in four adults in Texas, or 27.2 percent, are physically inactive, compared to 22.9 percent nationally. About 29.2 percent of adults in Texas are obese, compared to 27.6 percent nationally.

Hawaii is the healthiest state in the United States, while Mississippi ranked 50th on the list.